Secret Pal Swap 12 Questionaire

Last spring I was in my first and last swap. I did not have a good experience. My angel was wonderful and lavished me with gifts, but I know I did not have the full swap experience. So a year later I decided to try an other one - the tried and true Secret Pal Swap. As with all swaps here is my questionaire
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I knit a lot of socks and I really like natural fibers. Right now I have some bamboo yarn on the needles. Oh so soft! I do not like fun fur or any yarn with the word fun in it i.e. novelty yarn.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
A zip lock bag

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Mom taught me to knit when I was about 10. I did not pick it up regularly until about 2 years ago. I am an intermediate knitter who is willing to ask questions if I get stuck.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Nope

5. What's your favorite scent?
Citris

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Chocolate

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I don't spin, I know if I start I would be hooked. Right now I don't have a lot of time to do other crafts. Maybe in the summer when things slow down.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I am a child of the 80's, but I am open to anything, but disco and cheesy pop music.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I am open to almost any color that is not radioactive - no neon brights please.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am married with 3 kids - 2 daughters 16 and 13 (God help me) and a 9 year old son. We have a cat and dog. The dog is a retired service dog, a very sweet lab.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I will wear scarves and mittens, both with and without fingers.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I love socks. They come in so many different patterns and I can take them anywhere. They also look so impressive to the non-knitters.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Embossed leaves from Favorite Socks.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Sure

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer circular

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
About 9 months

18. What is your favorite holiday?
I would have to be Christmas. It's a lot of work, but everyone is so happy.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
No

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I do not subscribe to any knitting mag. I would love a copy of Bird in Hand mitts.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Magic Loop

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I am a basic size 8 1/2 medium shoe

23. When is your birthday?
October 7th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
knitpurlmom

Where have I been?

I find that by not being at work I do not blog. I read other blogs but I do not write. So here is the reader's digest condensed version of the last 6 weeks.
On the knitting end of thing I finished my noro jaywalkers. They are a little big, so they may be going to my sister. I started and finished a clapitos and I finished on sock in the embossed leaves pattern from Favorite Socks. I am about 90% done with a scarf for the third grade teacher. All I have to knit in the next 3 weeks is a couple of wash cloths for teacher gifts.
On the work front - my old company had a full time opening, but they felt like I was not qualified for it. I interviewed for a state job that I was more than qualified for, but did not get. I have an interview scheduled for tomorrow and a second interview scheduled for Monday. I have been offered some fee for service at the Red Cross, which I can start in the next couple of weeks, one my backround check comes back.
So what else I have I been doing? I play maid and taxi to the kids and that is getting old fast.

I'm free

Yes, I have been freed from my job in hell. I had a meeting with HR on Thursday, March 20 and all my work was done so I was free to go. What a relief, but it really hasn't sunk in because I have been so busy. My first full day off was Good Friday which was a busy day getting ready for the holiday weekend. The kids and I spent Easter at my brothers with his wife and youngest son. We all had a good time catching up on this and that.
I have vowed that I will not waste this time off. I am looking but I am also finding time for myself. The LYS, The Sheep Shack, had a 20% off sale last week and I treated myself to some bamboo yarn for socks and a Clapotis. I will take pictures of my fo for my notebook in ravelry and for my blog. I will walk the dog for at least 1 mile per day and I will do yoga 3 times a week. I also promised myself that I will find a job that suits me, not just one to pay the bills. I would love to wait until the fall to look for work so that I can enjoy some time with the kids but I don't think that it is the best thing to do. So I am off to send out some resumes.

A new chapter

I met with HR on Friday and she gave me the news, some good and some bad - I will be off the books on April 3, but I will have health insurance through May 31. I do feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, I slept much better on Friday night. I need to work this week, this should be interesting. No manager in my department has made eye contact with me since Tuesday, so the next week should be interesting. Time to step up the job search.

It's coming to head

Well all of my issues at work are coming to a head. My supervisor and department manager met with HR yesterday. So after their closed door meeting I chatted with the HR rep and yes my boss brought up termination - namely mine. I would rather leave on my terms not theirs. I have been diligently sending out resumes for anything and everything. But I have to admit that this is taking a toll on my psyche. I did not sleep but for 2 or 3 hours last night.
I had supervison this morning and we met like everything was perfect. Oh the anxiety of it all.

In horor of the Irish

You're 60% Irish

You're very Irish, and most likely from Ireland. (And if you're not, you should be!)

How Irish Are You?

Pretty odd considering my maiden name is Fitzgerald.

March: The ugliest month of the year

There is something about March that I just hate. It is not really winter, but it is not really spring either. My yard has ugly piles of sand filled snow and they lawn that is more mud than lawn. The good thing about March this year is that they clocks and being moved forward on Sunday. The mornings will be dark for a couple of weeks but it will be bright at the end of the day.
So to cheer myself up I have been knitting Jaywalkers in this bright Noro sock yarn colorway, #92 They do look pretty.

I am also working on a very simple silk lace scarf for a mom who is running my son's destination imagination team.
On the work front things are pretty much the same. We had a training on communication last week - waste of time. The HR rep was out on vacation, so no internal job prospects identified. I have been sending my resume out for anything and everything. I had applied for a job at my old agency in the WORST program in the agency and they politely declined to interview me. I am sure that it is for the best, that program is plagued with problems. I did go to the EAP for a session. The counselor was nice, but she didn't tell me anything I did not already know. "Get more sleep. Try to make appointments to get out of the office. Be careful you don't get depressed." I am so glad that I did not have to pay for that advice.